CaneSport is billed as the ultimate fan site, and now we’re at the finish line of seeking to uncover the ultimate Miami Hurricane. First we unveiled our all-time top eight Canes at each position … and then you, the fan, cast your votes in a tournament-style bracket to advance players to the final round.
We are now through round 3 of position GOAT vs. position GOAT battles.
VOTE NOW: Final Round GOAT Vote! Michael Irvin vs. Ed Reed
What that means?
We’re on to the final voting.
Here’s who is still standing: Your final two GOATs are WR Michael Irvin and S Ed Reed.
You can vote for your choice BY CLICKING HERE.
Starting today, you the fan will determine the All-Time single Miami Hurricanes GOAT. The winner will be inducted June 12, when voting ends.
Below are the links to Round 1 voting, if you want to review the results:
QB GOAT NOMINEES … RB GOAT NOMINEES … WR GOAT NOMINEES … TE GOAT NOMINEES … OL GOAT NOMINEES … DL GOAT NOMINEES… LB GOAT NOMINEES …DB GOAT NOMINEES … PK/P NOMINEES … PR/KR NOMINEES
Below are the links to Round 2 voting:
QB GOAT Ken Dorsey vs. RB GOAT Edgerrin James … WR GOAT Michael Irvin vs. TE GOAT Jeremy Shockey … OL GOAT Bryant McKinnie vs. DL GOAT Jerome Brown … LB GOAT Ray Lewis vs. DB GOAT Ed Reed … PK/P GOAT Carlos Huerta vs. PR/KR GOAT Devin Hester
Below are the links to Round 3 voting:
OFFENSIVE GOAT … DEFENSIVE GOAT
A closer look at the final nominees:
NOMINEE: MICHAEL IRVIN
Making The Case: Irvin played for Jimmy Johnson during the 1985-1987 seasons and ended his Miami career with 143 catches for 2,423 yards and 26 TDs (still holding up and ranking first in UM history) … including at one point a string of eight straight games with a touchdown catch. Perhaps his two biggest plays were at Tallahassee (1987) in the fourth quarter when he caught touchdown passes of 26 and 73 yards from Steve Walsh to cap a comeback from a 3-19 deficit in the 26-25 victory that eventually determined the national champion. And he had a 26-yard touchdown grab in the 20-16 victory over South Carolina that put the Canes in the national championship game … plus his 23-yard touchdown catch gave Miami a 17-7 lead over Oklahoma en route to a 20-14 victory in the Orange Bowl Classic for the title. He’s The Playmaker for a reason.
Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Those that had the honor of watching The Playmaker at Miami no doubt recall many instances of him grabbing passes, out-racing defenders to the end zone and high-fiving fans in the Orange Bowl stands.”
FIRST ROUND RESULTS: Irvin won with 55.7 percent of the vote, finishing ahead of Andre Johnson’s 29.7 percent. Santana Moss just edged out Malachi Toney for third place, 4.6 percent to 4.2 percent, and Eddie Brown checked in next at 2.9 percent.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS: Irvin beat out Jeremy Shockey, 95.0 percent to 5.0 percent.
THIRD ROUND RESULTS: Irvin won out vs. Edgerrin James, 83.8 percent to 16.2 percent.
NOMINEE: ED REED
Making The Case: Reed (1998-2001) famously decided to stay for his senior year and was a massive part of team that won the title that year (2001). His team speeches/motivation are things of legend. Reed earned consensus All-American recognition in both 2000 and 2001 and ranks first all-time in UM interceptions (21), first in interception return yardage (369), and first in interceptions returned for a touchdown (four). He led the 2001 defense that had a record 45 takeaways, including his legendary TD that helped save the game vs. BC – he had 10 passes broken up and nine interceptions that season and in four games had two interceptions each. He was the Football News Defensive Player of Year and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award that goes to the best defensive back in the nation. Among his other honors: 1998 Freshman All American by the Football News and Sporting News, 1999 All BIG EAST second team (had 74 tackle and 11 TFL that year), and All BIG EAST first team in 2000 (80 tackles, 8 INTs) and 2001.
Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “You can get pumped up just sitting in a chair listening to Reed’s impassioned Cane speeches. The most famous one? That was at halftime vs. FSU in 2001 when Miami was winning but wasn’t playing to his/Miami’s standard – `I’m hurt, dawg. Don’t ask me if I’m alright. Hell, no. Joaquin (Gonzalez) said dominate, and we’re not doing it. I put my heart into this sh**, dawg. Let’s go, man!’”
FIRST ROUND RESULTS: Reed and Sean Taylor were the big two here, and Reed won with 57.4 percent to Taylor’s 38.5 percent. Finishing in third place was Bennie Blades with 2.8 percent, and no one else had over 1 percent of the vote.
SECOND ROUND RESULTS: Reed won out vs. Ray Lewis, 83.7 percent to 16.3 percent.
THIRD ROUND RESULTS: Reed (78.6 percent) won out vs. Jerome Brown (18.1 percent) and Devin Hester (3.3 percent).